Northam went on "CBS This Morning" in an interview that aired Monday in an effort to save his political career after reporters uncovered a racist photo on his medical school yearbook page.

At the start of the interview, Northam referred to "the first indentured servants from Africa" who arrived in Virginia, and he faces backlash from critics accusing him of minimizing historic horrors with a euphemism for slavery.

"Well, it has been a difficult week," Northam said after the first question from CBS' Gayle King. "If you look at Virginia's history, we're now at the 400-year anniversary – just 90 miles from here, in 1619, the first indentured servants from Africa landed on our shores."

Virginia Gov. Ralph Northam: "We are now at the 400-year anniversary — just 90 miles from here in 1619. The first indentured servants from Africa landed on our shores in Old Point Comfort, what we call now Fort Monroe, and while—"@GayleKing: "Also known as slavery" pic.twitter.com/AiX96MU1rJ

Commentators on social media sharply criticized his reference to indentured servants.

"Words like 'Indentured servant' is how people try to erase the pain and horrors of slavery. It is how they think it harmless to wear blackface. @RalphNortham is done. If he won’t resign, he needs to be forced out," author Julissa Arce tweeted.

Words like “Indentured servant” is how people try to erase the pain and horrors of slavery. It is how they think it harmless to wear blackface. @RalphNortham is done. If he won’t resign, he needs to be forced out. https://t.co/2MfDIFtdX6

Others defended Northam and said he was correct about the status of the Africans who arrived in Virginia in 1619.

"Folks, learn your damn history. Northam is correct. First black Africans brought to Virginia in 1619 were indentured servants. @GayleKing is wrong. There were no laws for slavery in VA til 1661. The evolution from IS to slavery is essential to understand depth of evil of slavery," author Kurt Eichenwald tweeted.

"That 50 year transformation for black Africans from IS to slavery is the ultimate proof of the racism that drove slavery, because few other indentured servants were made slaves," Eichenwald wrote.

Folks, learn your damn history. Northam is correct. First black Africans brought to Virginia in 1619 were indentured servants. @GayleKing is wrong. There were no laws for slavery in VA til 1661. The evolution from IS to slavery is essential to understand depth of evil of slavery.

About 20 African captives arrived at Point Comfort in 1619 in what would become Virginia. They were taken from their villages in present-day Angola, forced onto a Portuguese slave ship, then stolen by English pirates. Their arrival in the New World was logged by John Rolfe, the widower of Pocahontas.

"They had indentured people in Virginia, and some people may have seen Africans just like they saw other indentured people. We know some people became free, so it looks like they were treated like every other indentured person," Howard University historian Daryl Scott told a writer for USA TODAY's Black History Month special edition. Some of those early arrivals even went on to acquire land and slaves themselves.

Northam has faced calls for his resignation from leading Democrats since his 1984 yearbook page from Eastern Virginia Medical School surfaced more than a week ago. The page included a photo of a man in blackface standing beside someone in a Ku Klux Klan hood and robe.

Northam at first admitted to being in the photo and apologized. But at a news conference the following day, he said he did not think he was in the picture, although he acknowledged donning blackface on a separate occasion as part of a Michael Jackson costume.

When asked why he would "apologize for something that horrific if you're not 100 percent sure that it's you," Northam told King that he "definitely overreacted."

Northam said that he had never seen the photo before news organizations published it and that it "shocked" him.

"When you're in a state of shock like I was, we don't always think as clearly as we should. I will tell you that later that night, I had a chance to step back, take a deep breath, look at the picture and said, 'This is not me in the picture,' " he told King. "I know it's not me in the Klan outfit. And I started looking in a picture of the individual with blackface. I said that's not me either. And that's why I felt so strongly about going in front of the camera on Saturday and clarifying."

Despite the uproar, Northam has resisted the cries for him to step aside.

"I'm not going anywhere," Northam told CBS. "I'm a leader. I've been in some very difficult situations, life-and-death situations, taking care of sick children. And right now, Virginia needs someone that can heal. There's no better person to do that than a doctor."

He framed the scandal as an opportunity for Virginia to address its legacy of slavery, racism, segregation and oppression.

"While we have made a lot of progress in Virginia – slavery has ended, schools have been desegregated, we have ended the Jim Crow laws, easier access to voting – it is abundantly clear that we still have a lot of work to do," Northam said. "I really think this week raised a level of awareness in the Commonwealth and in this country that we haven't seen certainly in my lifetime.

"I have learned from this. I have a lot more to learn. But we're in a unique opportunity now to really make some impactful changes."

One of the things Northam said he learned was that he was "born in white privilege."

"It is much different the way a white person such as myself is treated in this country," he said. "I have also learned why the use of blackface is so offensive, and yes, I knew it in the past. But reality has really set in."

When asked about the "drumbeat" of calls for him to resign, Northam said, "I don't live in a vacuum" and admitted he had "thought about resigning."

"But I've also thought about what Virginia needs right now," he said. "I can take Virginia to the next level."

When it comes to sexual assault allegations against Lt. Gov. Justin Fairfax, Northam called for an investigation and said resignation may be necessary.

"I can only imagine that it must take tremendous courage for women to step forward and talk about these things that are just so hurtful. And these accusations are very, very serious. They need to be taken seriously," Northam said. "As you know, Governor Fairfax has called for an investigation. I really think where we are now, we need to get to the truth.

"And if these accusations are determined to be true, I don't think he's going to have any other option but to resign."

Over the weekend, a Democratic state lawmaker threatened articles of impeachment against Fairfax but backed off Monday, saying "additional conversations" need to take place.

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Virginia Gov. Ralph Northam, center, and his wife Pam, watch as the casket of fallen Virginia State Trooper Lucas B. Dowell is carried to a waiting tactical vehicle during the funeral at the Chilhowie Christian Church in Chilhowie, Va., Saturday, Feb. 9, 2019. Dowell was killed in the line of duty earlier in the week. Pool photo by Steve Helber

A local newspaper the Richmond Free Press, with a front page featuring top Virginia state officials embroiled in controversies, sits for sale in a newsstand near the Virginia State Capitol, Feb. 9, 2019 in Richmond, Va. Virginia state politics are in a state of upheaval, with Governor Ralph Northam, State Attorney General Mark Herring, both Democrats, and Republican Senate Majority Leader Tommy Norment involved with past uses associations with blackface and Lt. Governor Justin Fairfax, a Democrat, accused of sexual misconduct by two women. Drew Angerer, Getty Images

A Senate page hands out documents to lawmakers, including State Senator Mamie Locke, right, during a Senate session at the Virginia State Capitol, February 8, 2019 in Richmond, Va. Drew Angerer, Getty Images

Protestors rally against Virginia Governor Ralph Northam outside of the governors mansion in downtown Richmond, Va. on Feb. 4, 2019. Demonstrators are calling for the resignation of Virginia Governor Ralph Northam, after a photo of two people, one dressed as a Klu Klux Klan member and a person in blackface were discovered on his personal page of his college yearbook. Northam said that while he had not appeared in the photo, "many actions that we rightfully recognize as abhorrent today were commonplace" and he was not surprised such material made its way to the yearbook. Logan Cyrus, AFP/Getty Images

Virginia Gov. Ralph Northam, with his wife Pam at his side, speaks at a press conference in the Executive Mansion at the Capitol in Richmond, Va., Saturday, Feb. 2, 2019. Northam is under fire for a racial photo that appeared in his college yearbook. Steve Earley, The Virginian-Pilot via AP

Members of the media listen to a statement from Virginia Governor Ralph Northam speaks about a racist photo that appeared in his 1984 medical school yearbook, at the Executive Mansion in Richmond, Va. on Feb.2, 2019. Northam is facing pressure to resign from both Republicans and Democrats, after racist medical school yearbook pictures, showing him and another person in racist garb at a party. Dan Currier, EPA-EFE

Virginia Gov. Ralph Northam, left, gestures as his wife, Pam, listens during a news conference in the Governors Mansion at the Capitol in Richmond, Va., Saturday, Feb. 2, 2019. Northam is under fire for a racial photo that appeared in his college yearbook. Steve Helber, AP

Demonstrators hold signs and chant outside the Governors office at the Capitol in Richmond, Va., Saturday, Feb. 2, 2019. The demonstrators are calling for the resignation of Virginia Governor Ralph Northam after a 30 year old photo of him on his medical school yearbook photo was widely distributed Friday. Steve Helber, AP

Virginia Gov. Ralph Northam prepares to address a news conference at the Capitol in Richmond, Va., Thursday, Jan. 31, 2019. Northam made a statement and answered questions about the late term abortion bill that was killed in committee. Steve Helber, AP

This image shows Virginia Gov. Ralph Northam’s page in his 1984 Eastern Virginia Medical School yearbook. The page shows a picture, at right, of a person in blackface and another wearing a Ku Klux Klan hood next to different pictures of the governor. It's unclear who the people in the picture are, but the rest of the page is filled with pictures of Northam and lists his undergraduate alma mater and other information about him. Eastern Virginia Medical School via AP

Virginia Gov. Ralph Northam shakes hands as he leaves the chambers after he delivered his State of the Commonwealth address during a joint session of the Virginia Legislature in the House chambers at the Capitol in Richmond, Va., Wednesday, Jan. 9, 2019. Steve Helber, AP

Virginia Governor Ralph Northam enters his conference room and heads for the podium, right, where he previewed several of his legislative proposals relating to elections during a media event at the State Capitol in Richmond, Va., Monday, Jan. 7, 2019. Bob Brown, Richmond Times-Dispatch via AP

Virginia Gov. Ralph Northam speaks during a news conference in the Crystal City neighborhood in Arlington, Va., Tuesday, Nov. 13, 2018. Amazon, which has grown too big for its Seattle hometown, said it will split its much-anticipated second headquarters between New York and northern Virginia. Susan Walsh, AP